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ACS Image of KBO “Quaoar”
Sum of 16 exposures registered on the KBO.
About the Object
- R.A. PositionR.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.16h 36m 18s
- Dec. PositionDec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.-14° 48' 0"
- ConstellationConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.Ophiuchus
- DistanceDistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.About 43 astronomical units (about 4 billion miles or 6.5 billion kilometers)
- DimensionsDimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.Approximately 800 miles in diameter (about 1300 kilometers)
About the Data
- Data DescriptionData DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.Principal Astronomers: M. Brown and C. Trujillo (Caltech) - InstrumentInstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.HST>ACS
- Exposure DatesExposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.July 5, 2002 and August 1, 2002
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.2002 LM60, Quaoar
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.Kuiper Belt Objects
- Release DateOctober 7, 2002
- Science ReleaseHubble Spots an Icy World Far Beyond Pluto
- CreditNASA and M. Brown (Caltech)
Related Images & Videos
Artist's View of Kuiper Belt Object "Quaoar"
This is an artist's impression of the icy Kuiper belt object 2002 LM60, dubbed "Quaoar" by its discoverers. With the help of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have determined that Quaoar (pronounced kwa-whar) is the largest body found in the solar system since the...
ACS Images of KBO "Quaoar"
With the help of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have determined that 2002 LM60, an icy Kuiper belt object dubbed "Quaoar," by its discoverers, is the largest body found in the solar system since the discovery of Pluto 72 years ago. Quaoar (pronounced kwa-whar) is...
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Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
Contact
Media
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
